The number of reported cases of vehicle thefts rose across Queens over the last month compared to the same period a year ago, according to the latest crime stats released by the NYPD on Monday.
During the 28-day period from Dec. 11 to Jan. 7, the number of vehicle thefts increased 5% in northern Queens, from 179 to 188. The most significant increase was experienced in the 104th Precinct, which covers Ridgewood, Glendale, Maspeth and Middle Village. Cases there rose from 25 to 37.
In southern Queens, there was a 38.6% increase in grand larcenies of automobiles over the same period of time, from 127 to 176. The 105th Precinct, which covers Bellerose, Cambria Heights, Glen Oaks, Laurelton and Queens Village, had the largest increase in these cases, from 12 to 40.
The rise in vehicle thefts across Queens is also reflected in the numbers for the first week of 2024. From Jan. 1-7 of 2024, northern Queens has experienced a 34.3% increase in cases, from 35 in 2023 to 47 in 2024. Over this same period of time, cases rose in southern Queens 45.7% from 35 to 51.
Through the first week of 2024, the number of major crimes—which include murder, rape, robbery, felony assault, burglary, grand larceny and grand larceny of vehicles—increased in northern Queens but decreased in southern Queens, compared to the same period in 2023. From Jan. 1-7, major crimes in northern Queens are up 1.75%, from 285 to 290. However, in southern Queens, major crimes have plummeted 13.96%, from 222 to 191.
A major factor behind the significant decrease in major crimes across southern Queens is the fact that, other than grand larcenies of automobiles, every category—experienced a decrease, although the number of homicides remained unchanged. Rapes are down 50% from two to one, robberies decreased 21.7% from 23 to 18, felony assaults dropped 14.3% from 56 to 48, burglaries went down 15.6% from 32 to 27 and grand larcenies fell 37.8% from 74 to 46.
In northern Queens, rape ended up being the major crime with the most significant percentage drop through the first week of 2024 compared to the previous year. The number of cases fell 71.4%, from seven in 2023 to two in 2024.
